Mom, *PLEASE* be more situationally aware next time...

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And some folks aren't paranoid, they really are to get them, the voices in their head tell them so...................
I see just fine; but then I don't have to wear a gun in my house or to go to the mailbox, etc., like some paranoid folks

Lol, I love it when people think like you George, met them hundreds of times when I was in business. Same Rheortic of hey, It can't happen here, no, not my neighborhood. Nothing going to happen when I walk to the mailbox.
So how about I give you the name of the widow and family of the college Professor that was shot in the face and killed when going out to get his daily newspaper. Then tell them how safe YOUR neighborhood is.
By the way, He lived in one of the most safest, upscale neighborhoods in the city.
 
Hey, all you that think others that carry are paranoid? Anyone want to take a guess what happened to this family that lived in a very nice safe neighborhood. One where folks felt safe to go to the mailbox. Go ahead, tell us what you think happened. Let's see if any of you non paranoid even come close. And by the way, I get sick and tired of those that use the word Paranoid to replace for caution, and taking proper security measures.

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Sorry if I feel angry, but if you want to go out, and believe you are safe, do it. But hopefully others do not listen.
 
Jeb - there's a VERY fine line between being prepared and being paranoid - and sometimes they blur; you do what you feel you need to do and I will do the same. And sometimes we will be doing the same thing, and other times we will not.:thumbup:
 
Sorry, to disagree George, there is no blur for myself. Not being prepared, letting your guard down. etc. If I was paranoid, I would lay awake tossing and turning worrying. I sleep fine. I have seen enough in my life to understand this. I do not fault you for your thinking. And most likely you will never see horror where you live. But in 4 decades, in the Alarm industry, I had many trips to small towns. Unfortunately most were after the fact. I have always told my son while growing up, Always think like the wise OLD Buck. Yes you could say they act paranoid, but they did not get old by being careless and letting their guard down. Make it a habit..
 
Next week I am traveling out of state to visit my son who finally got out of Army Boot camp. (after 8 months because of injury to his leg). Already thought about the gun to take. It will be a small beater. Why? Because I will have to stay in a Motel room. And I know that any firearm will not be allowed on Base. I was in the business long enough to know that you NEVER, EVER put anything of value in Hotel/Motel safe. So I have already packed Duck Tape. I will find a secure hiding place for the gun when I get there. Just a simple matter of being aware and prepared. (Also checked out the states I will be going through, for reciprocity and other laws specific to the state.)
Other can chime in on how they Prepare for their daily life.
 
Crime stats in my COUNTY, let alone my town, are not that bad, and when things do get bad, they tend to be confined to areas of the county that are "culturally exclusive"
So it's logical for you to feel safer than I did, which was my point.

Note that the stats I quoted were only for a one-mile radius around my house, not even my whole zipcode.
 
And living life always worrying and looking over your shoulder will decrease your life span due to all of the stress. Most folks need to chill out a little, stop and smell the roses and start enjoying life instead of being afraid every morning when they wake up.
It did stress me out a lot to live where I did, which is why I left. A big contributor to the stress was not being able to carry, I really felt, with good cause, like I was taking my life in my hands any time I left my home.

Deciding that the way to deal with living in a dangerous environment is "be happy, don't worry" doesn't impress me as a good way to increase one's life expectancy. I feel my decision to move to a low-crime area was a much more rational response.
 
We'll never know what was really about to go down, if anything at all. The northeast seacoast isn't a hotbed of violent crime, and when it does happen, it's rarely at the supermarket so I wouldn't cast any blame on letting mom do her own shopping even at night.

Why not just walk up to mom and help her with the groceries? That should be enough to stop anything before it happens. I'd either ignore the other guy altogether or maybe offer a friendly smile and a nod. You did well for keeping an eye on mom, but I don't think the icy stare meant much coming from someone who's out of shape and wearing a boot cast. A purse snatcher could grab the purse and run before any of you could do anything to stop it. It's not exactly something you can shoot people for anyways.
 
And living life always worrying and looking over your shoulder will decrease your life span due to all of the stress. Most folks need to chill out a little, stop and smell the roses and start enjoying life instead of being afraid every morning when they wake up.
Who's worried? Who's afraid?

there's a VERY fine line between being prepared and being paranoid - and sometimes they blur;
That's absurd. The terms are not even remotely synonymous, and they do not describe degrees along a continuum.

I have several fire extinguishers in the house. My objective is preparedness. Would you attribute that to paranoia?
 
Hey, all you that think others that carry are paranoid? Anyone want to take a guess what happened to this family that lived in a very nice safe neighborhood.


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For those of you that do not know, that family left their door unlocked because friends were coming over and bringing food to watch the Football game. . They lived in a very nice area in Richmond Virginia.I was a friend of the Brother of the Wife Pictured. The whole family was Brutally Murdered, bludgeoned, wife raped. Too horrible to describe other details.
Look at those kids and remember their faces the next time you go anywhere. Get a alarm system, get armed, understand that the world we live in, can be very ugly. The Monster is always there, ready to raise his head. when you least expect it. Take nothing for granted.

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For those of you that do not know, that family left their door unlocked because friends were coming over and bringing food to watch the Football game. . They lived in a very nice area in Richmond Virginia.I was a friend of the Brother of the Wife Pictured. The whole family was Brutally Murdered, bludgeoned, wife raped. Too horrible to describe other details.
Look at those kids and remember their faces the next time you go anywhere. Get a alarm system, get armed, understand that the world we live in, can be very ugly. The Monster is always there, ready to raise his head. when you least expect it. Take nothing for granted.

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Mom's been mulling over that encounter, and a few of her friends have told her similar recommendations to mine, be more aware of what's going on around her, she's also been considering picking up a handgun once she sells the family farm** and moves into her next little home, as the next house will be a little closer to town, she's been interested in the S&W 380EZ, as she has a hard time racking the slide on most semiautos, i'll also have her check out a DA/SA revolver





**a 250+ year old colonial with 10+ rooms,40 acres of land, a three bay garage, a small horse barn and a lawn that takes me about two hours to mow on a small three cylinder diesel garden tractor is a little much for a single person on retirement salary
 
For those of you that do not know, that family left their door unlocked because friends were coming over and bringing food to watch the Football game. . They lived in a very nice area in Richmond Virginia.I was a friend of the Brother of the Wife Pictured. The whole family was Brutally Murdered, bludgeoned, wife raped. Too horrible to describe other details.
Look at those kids and remember their faces the next time you go anywhere. Get a alarm system, get armed, understand that the world we live in, can be very ugly. The Monster is always there, ready to raise his head. when you least expect it. Take nothing for granted.

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There is nowhere in the city of Richmond that is not susceptible to crime, period.

To keep it High Road, Richmond is an armpit.
 
I will just say that the "cold stare" is something I do not do and would not advise. Part of keeping a low profile (CONCEAL carry) is being aware of your surroundings in a discreet manner.

Furthermore this whole conversation revolves around a situation in which getting a firearm involved would likely not be legal.
 
There is a lot of History in Richmond. Some beautiful places. Great Restaurants, Museums etc. These folks lived in the Historic District. Nice home. And some of the outskirts like Glen Allen etc are great places. But this is irrelevant. You can die in Mechanicsville or you can die in Richmond. Really do not understand what your point is. The dirt bags that entered their house were on the run and the same thing could happen to anyone, including you. Mechanicsville is right on the outskirts of Richmond, and you have I95, 264 and 95 going right through your town. I would give a prayer of thanks that they did not stop and your house instead.
But I will agree with you. Virginia has a lot of crime and the closer you get to urban areas, well then got high crime. But that is nothing new.
Lol, Virginia Beach is fast becoming a armpit. Norfolk use to be a great place, the cancer has taken over that area. It will not be long before Virginia Beach is gone as well.
 
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My point was you said they lived in a "nice area" of Richmond. No such thing. Especially not the "historic" district that's downtown.

Mechanicsville used to be far enough away that it was a nice area, it too is becoming a armpit.

I moved away from there 2yrs ago.
 
My point was you said they lived in a "nice area" of Richmond. No such thing. Especially not the "historic" district that's downtown.

Mechanicsville used to be far enough away that it was a nice area, it too is becoming a armpit.

I moved away from there 2yrs ago.

Th Historic area in Richmond is similar to the Historic area :"Ghent" in Nofolk. Nice old Victorian homes that cost a fortune. Sort of like Fort Apache.Surrounded by Indian territory.
I do not make it up that way to Richmond much any more, so I am sure the Historic area could have been taken over. Lol, Good, O'l Boy, you have Richmond on the left, DC on the right. Reminds me of that song "Caught in the Middle" with you.
That said, lock you door no matter where you live. When I was in the Alarm, the worst burglary I saw in Bay Colony. High end homes on the Water. Every single thing inside the house was destroyed, I mean every vase, lamp, even the Bible on the Mantle. They hit three homes in that area over one weekend. Police found them in a Motel at the Beach. All wanted for Murder. Fortunately the home owners were not home that weekend

Years ago, my family was at a July 4th Picnic. Nice Park, A place that "You would think would be very safe". Later a piece of Garbage that had been playing basket ball came over and wanted a hamburger from the family next to us, The guy cooking was a Young guy with three kids. He refused, told the guy to leave.
Later we all packed up and left, including the guy that was cooking. The bad guy was waiting. Came up and shot him three times in the chest. All because of a Hamburger. .(broad daylight)
 
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There is nowhere in the city of Richmond that is not susceptible to crime, period.
There is nowhere in the country that is not susceptible to crime, except for remote aresa tha are not readily accessible to traffic.

I will just say that the "cold stare" is something I do not do and would not advise.
Good thinking.

The subject of the tread is situational awareness. Step one is to have some idea of the kinds of behaviors to which one should be alert. Step two is to be alert for them.
 
I gave him a wave and thumbs up, and we drove off...

over at the grocery store, the scumbag was joined by another scummy looking hoodlum, both looking around suspiciously, I gave him one last evil glare as we left.

I wonder how many others he might have saved that evening, he could have earned a pat on the back, if he stuck around for awhile.
 
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